Pattience - Thanks for the link and also for the recipe. I love split pea soup and since I have to be careful with the salt, homemade would be better.

I am amazed how this is beginning to fall together for me. I'm using the Intuitive Eating principles. When hungry, eat whatever you really want (I do make my choices from Fiber such as grains, fruits and veggies and then Protein. I am trying to learn to eat only as much as I need to be satisfied and then stop. Haven't mastered it completely, but I am happy to say that I am eating fairly reasonable amounts of calories and fiber. Today my calories were 1373 and fiber was 52g. I am so very pleased.

I too have problems with my weight going up and down because of the sodium. I do eat some processed foods, but do try to watch to keep the sodium under 2300 g although I don't always make it.

I get so wiped out when we go out to eat in restaurants or fast food places that it has almost taken the pleasure out of going out. I have read that although they aren't supposed to use msg in those places that they actually do. I am thinking that is what makes me so tired. Of course, I have added more fiber into my diet quicker than I had intended so that could be some of the problem too. I don't know. I've never tried to find out what all happens when you go too fast. However, I think my system is starting to adjust to it pretty good. My weight was even back down under 230 this morning. Now I just hope I can keep it and keep going down. Fasting blood sugar has not been back down to 118, but it is not going up over 160s any more. I know more exercise will help that, but didn't feel like doing as much as I usually do the past few weeks. However, I did do 4 days this week instead of 3 on the recumbant bike and I actually did almost 4 miles 2 days. It sure made me feel a lot better about myself when I did. I was talking on the phone and did it before I realized it.

Well I'm tired so I'm going to close for tonight.

Trish, do I ever relate to you on eating out. My sister loves to eat out, but I just can't do it anymore at most of the restaurants out there. I told her, it was a choice of three of them, which has natural food (two of them) and another has a decent salad bar and I get their Louisiana Chicken Quesadillas to go with the salad bar (Ruby Tuesdays). Though they have a high sodium count (the quesadillas), they don't make me exhausted and bloated feeling like other meals do at most restaurants.

My neighbor owns a cafe- everything, even the baked goods, are made from scratch. He doesn't believe in adding extra sugar or salt to foods, and everything at his cafe is just delicious. Even the bacon he cooks isn't loaded with the sodium and fat that the stores sell, what a flavor to it! Recently, I just found a Co Op around here that also has a cafe with all natural and homemade foods and a great salad bar. When hubby and I ate there the other day, it was amazing, and again, neither him nor myself were bloated and exhausted after eating there. Restaurants add way too much sodium (MSG) and sugar to foods. It's really sad what they put in our food in stores and in restaurants.

You look like you have found a great diet plan there, kiddo- great job! Unfortunately, while the veggie burgers are loaded with fiber, they also have carbs in them, too. Some of the carbs in them are slow carbs (beans), but it's what they add to them (bread crumbs) that make them more sugar carb. If I were you, I would try to eat them earlier in the day, when you can walk or exercise the sugars off. Unfortunately, eating them as a late night snack and going to bed keep the sugars in your system because they aren't burned off. Try another protein source before bed- cheese, peanut butter, meat of some sort, and see if that helps. I don't recall where I heard this, I think it was my elderly friend's doctor who told us that she should walk for 15-20 minutes right after she eats carbs to burn the sugars off, and to not have anything with sugar before bed. If you have to have something, to make sure it's paired with a protein source. Not sure if this would help you or not, but figured I would pass it along.

You're right about another thing- with this plan (or any, for that matter), you have to find what works for you as an individual. Some can eat more carbs on this plan, some need more protein like you and I to balance out sugars. Some can eat salt til it's pouring out of their ears and have no effect on them (my sister), while others retain it terribly for days after eating out for one meal (myself).

I think of it as an adventure, I learn something new everyday on this weight loss journey. Now that I know all about sodium weight gain, I don't get nervous about days like tomorrow morning when I know I'll have a water weight gain after having corned beef. Sure, it's frustrating some days when that happens, but now I just ride it out and laugh it off, and stay on plan until the next salty meal comes along that I have to fight off for a few days afterwards, lol. We're getting there, we're getting healthier and thinner- it will take time, so let's sit back and enjoy the ride.